They found that stop on Charlottes first drive, forcing a turnover on downs. The team joined American Indoor Football (AIF) in 2016. [6], The Ironmen dropped their first game of the season, but would win every game following that, en route to a berth in the AIF Championship Game. The Ironmen were clinging to a 55-51 lead after a 15-yard touchdown pass from Thunder quarterback Jalen McClendon to Scooby Bryant with 43 seconds remaining in the contest. 2023 Muskegon Sports ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Today, we continue our series of Player Profiles on select Ironmen. For more information on the West Michigan Ironmen, visit their website by clicking here. It's the season finale for the Ironmen (3-1). Today, we continue our series of Player Profiles on select Ironmen. We had a pretty strenuous vetting process (for accepting teams), Smith said. They joined Champions Indoor Football for the 2017 season. The only people more excited than the fans to have football back at Mercy Health Arena in downtown Muskegon are the Ironmen players and coaches, who have battled through an abbreviated 2021 season and a canceled 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns and restrictions. COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. The Ironmen had hoped to play a few road games during thew regular season, but several teams had trouble securing home dates at their arenas or ran into other complications. The West Michigan Ironmen are a professional indoor football team based in Muskegon, Michigan (and representing the larger region which also includes Grand Rapids and Holland ), the Ironmen play their home games at L.C. They were juiced last night at practice and its going to be unbelievable when we get to play in front of a full crowd again. West Michigans No. Theyre chomping at the bit to put on the pads and, Ironmen roll to blowout win after three-week layoff. On one hand, the Ironmen have all the tools they need to be a solid long-term franchise. On January 18, 2019, the Ironmen posted on social media that it had joined the American Arena League (AAL) for the 2019 season along with the remaining teams from the MPIF as a Midwest Division. West Michigan Ironmen. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Coaching at the professional level with these guys is much different than coaching in high school, he said. [10] While the CIF did drop the lawsuit against the IFL, it filed for an injunction against the Edge and Ironmen teams from participating in the IFL for breaking the terms of their signed affiliation agreements. We just dont have the market for it. Livestreams - West Michigan Ironmen The 2022 season will kick off on Saturday night at Mercy Health Arena with a game against Charlotte, and it should be a good one. Keyondre Craig is from Muskegon, said Smith. Hes originally from the Flint area. The West Michigan Ironmen are a professional indoor football team based in Muskegon, Michigan (and representing the larger region which also includes Grand Rapids and Holland), the Ironmen play their home games at Trinity Health Arena. Menu. MUSKEGON The West Michigan Ironmen hadnt played a game in three weeks, but one would not have known the difference in Sunday afternoons 62-0 arena football victory over the, West Michigan Ironmen host Kentuckiana Kurse: Watch hype video, purchase livestream, Watch replay of West Michigan Ironmens 62-0 victory over Kentuckiana Kurse. West Michigan Ironmen ready to launch a new season, despite the ongoing challenge of finding a stable league The Ironmen will host a very tough opponent, the Charolotte Thunder, on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mercy Health Arena By Steve Gunn/MuskegonSports.com April 7, 2022 Tweet We have guys who will take pay cuts to help other players out. Champions Indoor Football and Indoor Football League, Midwest Professional Indoor Football (2018), Arena Professional Football League (2022), Great Lakes Arena Alliance (2023-present). They should play again in Englewood, Washington, Cleveland and San Francisco when the new schedule comes out. Alex Carder - Wikipedia The West Michigan Ironmen are a professional indoor football team and a member of the American Indoor Football. Derek Vandenbosch set up the Alexander score with a fumble recovery after the Thunder coughed up the ball. On the field, the Ironmen have continued their traditional success building a 3-o record in their first season in a new league. Race hard so you can take it easy with the sand between your toes. They are going to come in with a chip on their shoulders.. They are a very good football team, he said. From the first play on defense to the last buzzer of the game, the West Michigan Ironmen dominated the visiting Central Illinois Royals on Saturday night. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue. The team joined American Indoor Football (AIF) in 2016. Please let us know how we can help. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. Flores and Smith have spent a lot of time working with the owners of the new teams and helping them work out the kinks that come with getting an arena football operation off the ground. The following season, the team played four games with several cancellations by other Midwest Division teams. By Steve Gunn/MuskegonSports.com May 5, 2023. It all starts on Saturday, when the Ironmen host the Ohio Blitz at 7 p.m. at Muskegons Trinity Health Arena in a playoff semifinal game. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Charlotte took a 45-41 lead with 4:23 remaining in the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from McClendon to Bender but the Ironmen would score 14 unanswered points with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Carder to Alexander, a safety on the ensuing kickoff, and a 5-yard touchdown pass from Carder to Alexander with less than a minute remaining. May 16, 2022 Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark MUSKEGON - Ryheem Stokes knows what to do with the football in his hands. We feel like we can compete with any of those guys in the higher leagues, he said. We're featuring rookie receiver Sterling Alexander. Check out, Hey, Iron Nation! The West Michigan Ironmen haven't taken the field in almost three weeks and they're making preparations for this Sunday's home game against the Kentuckiana Kurse. Arena league football might be known for its video-game-like offensive statistics and fast-paced action but it was a defensive stop that proved to be the difference for the West Michigan Ironmen in their season-opening tilt Saturday night. [5] After a "name-the-team" contest, the nickname Ironmen was chosen for the expansion franchise. For the 2018 season, the team was originally announced to have joined the Indoor Football League, however, the team was forced to sit out the 2018 Indoor Football League season. April 27, 2022. Charlotte was able to block the PAT and returned it for two points and a 41-30 score. During a preseason practice at Mercy Health Arena . In Smiths opinion, they dont get more challenging than what the Thunder bring to the table. [3] The Ironmen went undefeated at 30 through the MPIF season with several teams folding during the season. West Michigan Ironmen | LinkedIn Your email address will not be published. The Ironmen announced on September 26, that it was joining Champions Indoor Football (CIF) for the 2017 season. Known for its spectacular sunsets, unbelievable views from the pier and charming life on Main Street, Frankfort is an uncharted resort town that offers a perfect beach getaway for visitors of all ages. I think its just solid ownership, said Carder, who was a standout QB at Western Michigan University before joining the Ironmen. Either this new league is going to grow, or were going to make a move to another league. West Michigan Ironmen hit the road for rematch with Charlotte - mlive We want to be with this league. West Michigan Ironmen - Wikipedia The West Michigan Ironmen are a professional indoor football team based in Muskegon, Michigan (and representing the larger region which also includes Grand Rapids and Holland), the Ironmen play their home games at Trinity Health Arena. The Ironmen have plenty of local talent on its roster this season with players such as Derek VandenBosch (Orchard View), Dakota Smith (Grand Haven), Keyondre Banks-Craig (Muskegon), Karey Morrow-Bey (Muskegon), Tyler Fehler (Fruitport) and Nick DeKraker (Coopersville) along with Grand Rapids-area talent such as Donte Carey (Ottawa Hills/GVSU). West Michigan Ironmen Football Athletics We want to get games in front of our fans, and were going to keep playing football. PLAYING for a Championship is what we have trained and worked for. West Michigan Ironmen think they've solved a long-term nightmare by forming a league of their own The Ironmen, in partnership with a Battle Creek businessman, have established the new Great Lakes Arena Football League, which will begin play in February By Steve Gunn/MuskegonSports.com November 22, 2022 Share Tweet Print IRONMEN FOOTBALL 2023. I think we have the best fans in arena football and I really do believe that teams love to come to play at the Mercy Health Arena.. Carder and Alexander continued to be too much as the duo connected on a 30 yard TD and a 4-yard score for a 55-45 lead. By Steve Gunn/MuskegonSports.com April 7, 2022. The problem has been finding other quality teams from similar markets to form a sustainable league. Ironmen fans are used to seeing their team win a lot of games, and general manager/head coach Nate Smith expects more of the same this season. The team joined American Indoor Football (AIF) in 2016. The highly anticipated West Michigan Ironmen season opener finally arrived on Saturday night at Mercy Health Arena. The West Michigan Ironmen will have to wait to hit the field again, but their fans can still get great content from CatchMark SportsNet. With a solid crowd in tote, the Ironmen faced off against the Charlotte Thunder in a game where both teams were coming off undefeated seasons. I think its going to be great, Smith said about the likelihood of an Ironmen-Smoke title game. Required fields are marked *. Were going to get after it this year, so its going to be exciting to see how this team can grow and blossom.. I think having some local guys have success on the field has really helped advertise what we are trying to do here. West Michigan Ironmen 2022 profiles: Meet rookie WR Sterling Alexander West Michigan Ironmen ready to launch a new season, despite the ongoing West Michigan Ironmen | American Football Database | Fandom All rights reserved (About Us). West Michigan Ironmen ready to start fresh, hosting Chicago on Saturday in season opener with Carder under center Apr 16, 2021 By Steve Gunn and Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The 2020 season started and ended with disappointment for the West Michigan Ironmen - all within a few days. 2023 Muskegon Sports ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. West Michigan Ironmen 2022 profiles: Meet veteran QB Alex Carder West Michigan responded with seven seconds left in the half on a 4-yard TD catch from Keyondre Banks-Craig. The Ironmen felt their backs against the wall in the fourth quarter as the Thunder converted a West Michigan interception into a 45-41 lead with three minutes left in the game. Unfortunately, several teams that were going to play had to drop out, and the new league is down to just three current teams, not enough to create a full league schedule with a championship format. Designed & Developed by Precision Creations, By subscribing, you agree to receive emails from Muskegon Sports, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our, West Michigan Ironmen, in a new league of their own, set to kick off 2023 season at home on Saturday against Ohio, Clippers get great pitching on a bullpen day, shut down Michigan Monarchs 4-0 to complete series sweep, Clippers bounce back from a horrible Game 1, beat Jet Box 3-2 in the second game of doubleheader, Hawkins three-run homer helps Clippers down Monarchs 8-5 and improve their record to a gaudy 12-1. Im in charge of the direction of the organization and I have to make sure there is clear communication between the coaches, players and front office.. Walker Arena, in Muskegon on March 30, 2019. [2][16] The Ironmen won the division title over the Indianapolis Enforcers, the only other team in the division to finish the season, before losing the league semifinal game to the West Virginia Roughriders. The West Michigan Ironmen played their last game of the season in 2023 on May 10th in Cleveland. They have always put a good team on the field, and have always had a large and loyal fan base, but they struggled to find a league with quality teams that are close enough to Muskegon to make travel costs manageable. The Ironmen were hoping for better results when they partnered with the management from Charlotte to form the new league, but its taking longer than they hoped to attract enough quality members. 2023 Muskegon Sports ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Our guys are so excited, said Ironmen general manager and head coach Nate Smith. We had a few injuries coming out of the last game, so it has actually been a blessing, Smith said about the break. They have added some players and will bring a fuller roster. West Michigan Ironmen - Muskegon I was hired by the West Michigan Ironmen in December of 2019 to lead the creative team and to help create a cohesive social branding for the semi-pro football team based out of Muskegon, Michigan. A few plays later, Buiter would send the crowd at Mercy Health Arena home happy, as the Ironmen held on to start the 2022 season 1-0. Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2021 AAL season. West Michigan Ironmen bringing the 'juice' for season - mlive Please, Muskegon Risers fall short in MASL2 semifinals, lose exciting lead to Cleveland, San Diego takes home MASL2 title after championship weekend in Muskegon, tops defending champs Cleveland. Season ticket holders and those of you who already purchased tickets for Saturday's game, we will be working through credits and refunds starting first thing in the morning. We will post the story here", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=West_Michigan_Ironmen&oldid=1153664003, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, No postseason; named Midwest Division champion, Won 2019 AAL Midwest Division championship, Midwest Professional Indoor Football (2018), Arena Professional Football League (2022), Great Lakes Arena Alliance (2023-present), This page was last edited on 7 May 2023, at 15:56. By Steve Gunn/MuskegonSports.com February 27, 2023. We want to see if we can help out and do whatever we can to get into a higher league. We will also have an official press release with a greater explanation in the next 24 hours. The West Michigan Ironmen are a professional indoor football team based in Muskegon, Michigan (and representing the larger region which also includes Grand Rapids and Holland ), the Ironmen play their home games at Trinity Health Arena. News Players May 19, 2023 Meet Rudy Colston Hey, Iron Nation! I think they will be better, said Smith, who added that Ohio has played six games this season, including several games against non-league opponents. In this video we are featuring Rudy. The top four teams in the standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the postseason league playoffs. The Ironmen offense was led by wideout Sterling Alexander, who hauled in four touchdown receptions in his first arena league football game. West Michigan held a 13-6 advantage after the first quarter and took a 28-21 lead into halftime. There will be nothing holding back two of the premier franchises in the arena league community at 7 p.m. Saturday, as the two squads look to keep their winning streaks alive after going undefeated throughout the four-game 2021 season. We should expect The West Michigan Ironmen back again next season. The Thunder still had fight left in them as they found the end zone with 43 seconds left on the clock and slimming the Ironmens lead to, 55-51. Join us as we continue our series of Player & Coach Profiles on select Ironmen. [4] Upon the release of the 2019 season schedule, the Ironmen were not listed as members.[15]. West Michigan Ironmen - West Michigan Ironmen Results 1 2 3 Next Leagues GLAF Seasons 2023 Home Trinity Health Arena Player List 1 2 3 Next Defensive Assistant Damion Greggory Current Team Ironmen Defensive Assistant Tracy Lewis Current Team Ironmen Offensive Coordinator Terry Mitchell Current Team Ironmen Offensive Assistant Bryce Belter That was one of the best games weve ever been part of as an organization. MUSKEGON - The West Michigan Ironmen have enjoyed the friendly confines of "The Foundry" inside Mercy Health Arena in Muskegon for the first two weeks of the regular season but now the undefeated. All Rights Reserved. The AIF ceased operations following the 2016 season, leaving the Ironmen without a league. They know how to take care of themselves and be ready.. West Michigan Ironmen Tickets . The team was then sold and played in the regional Midwest Professional Indoor Football for the 2018 season[3] until they could rejoin the CIF in 2019. On April 21, 2018, the first-seed Ironmen beat the second-seed and defending MPIF champion Midway Marauders 6844 at home to win the MPIF championship. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. There will be plenty of familiar faces on the field for the Ironmen, including longtime quarterback Alex Carder, Keondre Banks-Craig, Derek VandenBosch and Ryan Armstrong, along with a lot of talented newcomers. They performed better in some of the other games they played. Danzell Maze is from Grand Rapids and he played at Davenport. But the Ironmen are remaining true to their commitment to keep a team on the field this spring. They joined Champions Indoor Football for the 2017 season. Kickoff is set for 2:05 p.m. at Mercy Health Arena in Muskegon. The Smoke and Apex will both play their home games at Battle Creeks Kellogg Arena this season. Only a few teams are solid enough to play. Its a good team and a good organization. Today, we continue our series of Player Profiles on select Ironmen. These guys are professionals here, so theyve got a lot of experience, most of them have played high-level college football, so theyre technique work and all of that is already well established. The West Michigan Ironmen take the field Saturday night at Trinity Health Arena in Muskegon for a 7:15 p.m. arena football game against the Carolina Predators. Teams from Vermont, Alabama and Reading, Pennsylvania were initially set to join the league, then ran into problems along the way and arent ready to hit the field yet, for various reasons. West Michigan held a 13-6 advantage after the first quarter and took a 28-21 lead into halftime. Players like quarterback Alex Carder, running back Dakota Smith, linebacker Derek VandenBosch, receiver Keyondre Banks-Craig and several others remain the backbone of the team, and their presence guarantees that the Ironmen will put a solid product on the field every season. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Ironmen will be back in action on April 16 as they host the Central Illinois Renegades at 7 p.m. from Mercy Health Arena. Last year, for example, the Ironmen were supposed to host a team in a league playoff game, but the opponent cancelled, and that was the end of the season. West Michigan and Battle Creek played a barnburner back on March 18, when the Ironmen came from behind and secured a thrilling 33-31 victory with a touchdown on the last play of the game. West Michigan Ironmen - Indoor/Arena Football on OurSports Central Kayla Renie | MLive.com As things stand this season, the Ironmen will be playing a four-game home. West Michigan Ironmen will be hosting the Southern Michigan Apex Football in the inaugural GLAF Championship on May 20th at. West Michigan Ironmen use fast start to rout Central Illinois - mlive The AAL chose not to hold a 2021 championship playoff, but stated each division would have their own champion. The other semifinal game, between the Battle Creek Smoke and Southern Michigan Apex, will also be played at Trinity Health on Saturday at 3 p.m. There are also games tentatively scheduled for May 15 and June 4 against undetermined opponents. Jalen McClendon and Jamal Tillman found the endzone for the Thunder. Charlotte capped off its following drive with a 34-yard catch by Bender and secured the 2-point conversion for a 41-38 deficit. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. On April 23 they will travel to Charlotte for a rematch with the Thunder. Sterling Alexander cuts across the field after catching a pass. Baseball; West Michigan Ironmen and American Arena League (AAL) latest news, scores and information from OurSports Central. MUSKEGON Its been another good season and also a challenging season for the West Michigan Ironmen. The Ironmen went 48 and missed the playoffs. Defensive back Alje Buiter made a game-saving tackle on Charlotte Thunder wideout Daniel Bender at the 5-yard line as time expired to prevent a last-second touchdown reception and preserve a wild 55-51 win in front of a full crowd at the Mercy Health Arena in downtown Muskegon. But the Thunder struck quickly after falling behind by two touchdowns and trailed 35-28. Carder finished with seven touchdown passes to lead the Ironmen aerial attack with four to Alexander and one each to Mike Wynn, Keyondre Banks-Craig and John Ross. West Michigan's Alex Carder (14) runs the ball during Saturday's game at the L.C. Terry Mitchell is our new offensive coordinator this season, said Smith. Apr 17, 2022 LocalSportsJournal.com If there is one thing that rings true about sports fans in the Greater Muskegon area, they love football. The two teams exchanged scoring drives to start the second half, as the Ironmen took a narrow 41-38 lead into the final quarter of play. West Michigan Ironmen - Home - Facebook We spent a lot of time helping the other teams. After talking to lots of other leagues around the nation, Smith and Ironmen owner Mario Flores finally partnered with the owner of a new team based in Battle Creek to form the new league in the Great Lakes region.

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